Gripping device



(No Model.)

E. A. THOMPORDE.

GRIPPING DEVICE.

No. 605,454. Patented June 7,1898.

A R I WITNESSES: INVENTOR k umwm. mgwh.

QWSQSY ATTORNEY I llirn TATES ERNEST THOMFQRDE, or ENGLFIWOOD, NEWJERSEY.

GRIPPING' DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,454, dated June 7,1898.

Application filed April '29, 1397.

To all 1071 0111, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST A. THOMFORDE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State of NewJersey, have invented certain.

able device; third, provide means for holding thin and small objectswithout injury, and,

fourth, provide a device conveniently attachable to an ordinarycarpenters bench.

operated upon from moving in one direction, or where means have beenemployed to pre Vent backward motion they have been nonadjustable fordifferent-sized objects or have been of such nature as to injure thework or insufficiently hold small or thin material, and

where the devices have been movable or adjustable they have not been ofsuch a nature as to allow support of a long piece, and thus preventdistortion by its own weight or the eifort of manipulation. I obviatethese obj ections by'makin g my bench-stop adjustable in height to givea firm grip to material of varying thickness and adjustable in width inorder to engage material of varying width, By providing a gripping-leverI am able to prevent backward motion during manipulation, and byadapting the device to be set into the surface of a bench I am able tosecure the cooperation of the'same to prevent sagging or distortion, asin the use of the ordinary side -vise, and by making the stopsadjustable in height and the bed countersunk I am also able to have theupper surface of the bench free from obstruction when the device is notin use.

I accomplish the object of my invention by semi No, 634,487. (1% model.)

the meansshown in the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters ofreference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. f-

. Figure 1. is-a planview of my device, showing a piece of wood heldthereby. Fig. 2 is a plan of a removable cover for the device,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view from the side. Fig. 4 is a sectional Viewfrom the end, showing the adjusting and locking device.

Referring tofFig. --1, A-represents a table or bench, in which thedevice is set so as to be flush with the top surface and to which it issecured .by'screws.

B is the body of the device and preferably consists of a casting formedwith a flange 7, which sets flush with the top of the table, as stated.It is sunk or hollowed on top to alloW the portions 0 and D to lie flushwithin it when pushed down or no in use.

i C is a bench-stop with th usual teeth P,

' lwhichlis capable of beingr ised or lowered Heret'ofore bench-stopshave consisted of I obstructions immovably attachedtothe bench andadapted to prevent the material being and is maintained in positi n bythe spring L. (SeeIFig. 3 The screw, K, as shown in the drawings,is-intended to lock the part 0 totheshankfMn'fIt may, moreover, beenti-rely'omittedfromuthe device and the part C. and the shank-M be madeintegral. It is made curvedand sharp at R, soas to grip the materialsecurely.

D is a clamp mounted on spring-fitted post L and M, Fig. 2, by whichitcan be raised or lowered in the block or carriage F, which is free toslide along the ways S, and is pivoted to the top of said post M at K,thus being free to move in a horizontal plane and grip the material inconjunction with the stop 0,

as hereinafter more explicitly pointed out.

The sliding adjustment of the block F is regulated by the manipulationof the levercatch G, pivoted to F at J, by .engaging the teeth II of theslotted bed. When not inuse, the depression in the bedB may be filled bya cover T, cut to fit inside of the flange Z and the notches P, as usualwith the ordinary bench-stop of this class. When a narrow strip is to bemanipulated which would be imperfectly held or injured by the notches1?, the lever G is moved so as to engage with a notch suitable to thewidth of the piece and the piece inserted between the clamp D and thestop or clamp O. The piece pressing against the long arm R of thelever-clamp D turns it on its pivot K, so that the end is forced firmlyagainst the piece, gripping it tightly at the points R, R, R and R It isevident that work of varying width may be similarly held by adjustingwith the catch G, as above described, the points R B being normallynearer together than the points R R The horizontal pivotal movement ofthe clamps O and D supplies the finer adjustment and gripping effectnecessary to firmly hold the material. When not in use, the cover T,Fig. 2, is placed in position, when the whole device presents a closedsurface flush with the bench-top.

I am aware that fixed bench-stops of varying height with teeth ornotches havelong been known in the art and also that pivotedlever-clamps adapted to engage material between their contiguousextremities are known. I do not, therefore, claim-them broadly; but

What I do claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In an organized device for holding objectsvon work-benches, thecombination of a vertically-ad j ustable serrated bench-stop, anindependent vertically -adjustable gripping device, pivoted so as toautomatically cooperate therewith horizontally, and means for lockingthe same in position, substantially as described.

2. In an organized device for holding objects, the combination of avertically-adjustable serrated bench-stop, anindependentvertically-adjustable gripping device adapted to movehorizontally and automatically cooperate with the bench-stop, and a stopadapted to engage with the body of the device, c011- trolling thelateral movement of the gripping device.

3. In. an organized device for holding objects on a work-bench, thecombination of a tray countersunk to receive the component parts, avertically-adjustable rigid serrated bench-stop, a vertically-adjustablegripping.

adapted to cooperate with the benclrstop to secure an object betweenthem by means of the insertion thereof, and means for adjustin g theclamp laterally in said tray.

5. In combination, for the purposes described, a countersunk trayadapted to receive the component parts flush with theupper surface, arigid but vertically-adjustable serrated bench-stop, having its interiorface concaved in the direction of its length, a vercally-adjustableclamp having its interior face similarly concaved and adapted tocooperate with the bench-stop to grip an object between them by itsinsertion, a sliding block bearing the clamp, and a lever on said blockadapted to engage with the tray, substantially as described.

6. In an organized device for holding objects 011 work-benches, thecombination of a vertically-adj ustable serrated bench-stop; anindependent vertically-adjustable gripping device pivoted so as torotate horizontally and automatically cooperating therewith, and meansfor locking the same in position, substantially as described.

'7. The combination of a vertically-adjustable bench-stop, anindependent verticallyadjustable clamp, adapted to cooperate with thebench-stop to secure an object between them by means of the insertionthereof, and means for adjusting the clamp laterally.

Signed at Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey,this 7th day of April, A. D. 1897.

ERNEST TI'IOMFORDE.

NVitne-sses:

GEORGE HASENFLUGH, WILLIAM SCULLY.

